Essay, Research Paper: Generation X

Generation X


Generation X, a generation without its own identity. A generation of people who have total disregard for rules and laws. A bunch of drug users and drinkers. A generation without morals or religion. Misfits with no respect for their parents and elders. Selfish and cold-hearted individualists. These are only some of the things I have heard about Generation X. Many of them I find appalling to have to listen to because I know none of these things to be true. These are nothing but stereotypes made by people who choose
not to educate themselves. Very rarely will you hear something positive said about Generation X. Generation X is a term that has come to signify everything that people outside of
this generation believe and think is wrong with it. Part of the reason for this narrow minded point of view is the media. The media are the people leading the charge aimed at tearing Generation X apart. The media hold no regard to whom they hurt as long as they attain their desired goals. These goals range from causing conflict amongst people in turn increasing their ratings as well as their profits. The more people you have watching your show, or buying your newspaper or magazine, the more money you make. Why say something positive? The masses could care less to hear about something positive.
The other part of this view is the public. People generally prefer to have information spoon fed to them. It's easier to have information handed to them instead of having to go find out for themselves firsthand. If it is easier to believe the information given to you, why not? I mean why would the media purposely leave out pertinent information. When these views are presented to people, they adopt them as their own and soon enough there are masses of people believing something about a group of their own
society they know little or nothing about. The only exception to this is when a family member is in Generation X. They think to themselves, "My tom is not like that, he wouldn't do such a thing." An adult may also see someone dressed in all black with chains hanging from their pants and think to themselves, "What a delinquent.", but this is nothing more than a stereotype. This is a style of dress just as bell bottoms were.
The worst is when people stereotype Generation X as rule breakers. This is mainly
due to "a few bad apples." Every generation has had it's rebels, or bad apples; so to speak.
These people didn't like being singled out for being rebels, so why do it to us now?. So,
because a few teens committed crimes, we are all labeled as criminals. People are quick to jump on the bandwagon, why not join in the persecution? One must also not forget that we are a bunch of alcohol drinking drug users. From what I've heard everybody in Generation X gets drunk and uses drugs. I always used to wonder what I did in my sleep until I heard that. Any ads you see on TV or in magazines telling you not to drink or use
drugs are aimed at Generation X, and more likely than not, the user depicted is a teen, as if we are the only generation struggling with these problems.
From what I've heard from some of my elders, I am going to suffer in eternal damnation for not going to church. We are all thrown together into one large group because some of us choose not to go to church. Some of this generation does in fact go to church, every Sunday even. I don't believe religious people to be gullible or such because they believe in a holy sprit. That is how they were raised, were as I was raised the opposite of this as were many others. So because of the way I was raised I should be looked down upon? As far as morals are concerned, we base them on what we gather from our parents, some more than others, then we variate them to fit our way of thinking like every generation before us has. If we didn't do this would we not all be a bunch of racists?
As far as not having our own identity is concerned, I strongly disagree. Everyone
in Generation X has their own identities, beliefs and perception on life yet we manage to get along fine with one another. Just because everyone in our generation has there own view and doesn't follow the masses, does this mean we do not have our own identity? We take what we feel is the best from every generation, including music and clothing and change them to better fit our style or liking to make them our own. People should just take this a compliment instead of calling us unoriginal. Because we take the best part of
every generation and enjoy it to the fullest this makes us unoriginal?
Cold-hearted and selfish. I don't know about you, but I was taught by my elders to look after myself first, followed by family second. "I come first", "I don't care if they are starving" , This has always been the American way of thinking way. The very people who teach this and practice it call others selfish for doing the same. Why you ask? Because it is inconvenient for them to not be the top priority on someone else's list. "I should be first, I'm more important than him." This is their way of thinking. They can call us selfish because of what they taught us. One must not forget that we are cold hearted as well. I'm
at a loss for words on this one. Cold hearted? Who ignores people dying around them everyday and takes the attitude "Who cares I don't live there" or "It's their own fault their in that situation." Only an ignorant person would say such a thing.
I can't fully comprehend how people can believe everything that is told to them. I'm not saying that Generation X is perfect; everyone has their problems. Just like every generation before us we are still growing and maturing, and we will more than likely do what every generation before us has done, give the new kids a hard time. Things will never change as long as the media continues to report the way they do and people stop being gullible. They need to show more positive things about this generations well as society. They are out there and not all that difficult to find. But also as much as things change they may remain the same, it all depends on us. I know I have also made many generalizations here but it's OK to make generalizations right?